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Manizha

Manizha’s style of art-pop mixes banging beats with social commentary and an uncompromising DIY ethos.

The Tajikistan-born artist not only writes her own music and lyrics, she also films, directs and edits her videos, creates her own visual content and commands her own collaborations. The commitment to creating her own art began when she started producing short films for instagram, and has led to sold out concerts in Moscow and St Petersburg.

As well as blending different languages (including her mother tongue, Tajik) in her songs, Manizha bakes in strong social messaging about self love and body positivity; women’s and children’s rights; as well as national, cultural and sexual identity; and above all else, tolerance.

In 2020, the singer was awarded a prize at the Berlin Music Video Awards for Nedoslavyanka. The song explores the challenges faced by immigrants - a subject Manizha is well versed in, as her family fled to Russia, to avoid the Civil War in Tajikistan.

Manizha is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and actively participates in many of the projects and activities the program runs in Russia.

Music video

Lyrics of Russian Woman

Поле поле поле
Я ж мала
Поле поле поле
Так мала
Как пройти по полю из огня
Как пройти по полю если ты одна?

А-а-а?
Ждать ли чьей-то ручечки, ручки?
А-а-а?
Кто подаст мне ручку девочки?

Из покон веков
С ночи до утра
С ночи-ночи
Ждем мы корабля
Ждем мы корабля
Очень очень
С ночи до утра
Ждем мы корабля
Ждем бы корабля
А что ждать?
Встала и пошла.

Every Russian Woman
Needs to know
You're strong enough to bounce against the wall

Шо там хорохорится?
Ой, красавица?
Ждешь своего юнца?
Ой, красавица

Тебе уж за 30
Ало? Где же дети?
Ты в целом красива
Но вот бы похудеть бы
Надень подлиннее
Надень покороче
Росла без отца
Делай то, что не хочешь

Ты точно не хочешь?
Не хочешь?
А надо.

Послушайте, правда.
Мы с вами не стадо
Вороны пщ-щ-щ пыщ-щ-щ
Отвалите
Теперь зарубите себе на носу
Я вас не виню
А себя я чертовски люблю

Борются, борются
Все по кругу борются
Да не молятся
Сын без отца
Дочь без отца
Но сломанной FAMILY
Не сломать меня
Fields, fields, fields
I’m so small
Fields, fields, fields
I’m too small
How do You cross a field thru the fire?
How do you cross the field if you’re alone?

Heeeey?
Should I wait for a helpful hand?
Whaaat?
Who will stretch out for me, girls?


For ages now
From night till dawn
From the deepest of the night
We are waiting for a ship
A Sailing ship
Waiting very much
From night till dawn
Waiting for a ship
Waiting for a ship
But what’s the wait?
Stand up, let’s go!

Every Russian Woman
Needs to know
You're strong enough to bounce against the wall

What’s the rattling about?
Hey, beauty!
Are you waiting for your Prince?
Hey, beauty!

You’re 30!
Hello? Where are your kids?
You are cute overall
But should lose some weight
Wear something longer
Wear something shorter
Oh you grew up without a father?
You should do what you don’t want to

You sure you’d don’t want to?
Don’t want to?
You SHOULD!

Listen up, really!
We’re not a flock
Hey, crows, shoo!
Leave me alone (give me a break)
Now learn it by heart:
I don’t blame you a bit
But damn do I like myself

They just fight, always fight
Go round and round to just fight
But never pray
Boy without a father
Girl with no dad
But this broken family
Can’t break me